Post Partum Weight Loss - What are your experiences?

[Valencia]

Smu hk and hkgirl,

I envy you two. I'm now 8 pounds more than pre-pregnant. If I could lose 20 pounds it would be heaven. :lovedface I've lost 10 pounds before but put them on again. Whether it's exercise or breastfeeding it's the metabolism that matters. I've never breastfed and didn't do exercise, that's why it's so hard for me.

 

[beans]

I had gained about 11 kg during my pregnancy. Almost all of it-but for 2 kg-was gone in just four weeks after the delivery (which, by the way, was by c-section). And the remaining 2kg disappeared in about 2 months' time. I was breastfeeding my baby for the first month or so but due to poor milk supply (as a result of which baby was not gaining weight) and a breast abscess-so bad that it warranted 10 days' hospital stay-I was forced to switch to formula. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight without any effort but the extra 2-3 inches of flab around my waistline puts me off. I had recently started out on a fitness program but now that I am am pregnant again, I guess that will have to wait. :haha:

 

[spsmok]

Congratulations Beans on your second baby.

I was never really an athletic person, and was so busy at work I didn't have time for exercise before my baby was born. I breastfed my baby for 9 months but didn't do any exercise all those time. My weight was back to pre-pregnant gradually, I guess due to BF and diet.

 

[JennyB]

My weight seemed to fall off immediately after the birth BUT I gained half of it back again within several weeks! Breastfed for 18 months and the weight came off by about 12 months. (Waistline didn't come back though! Still searching for the part of me that must be slimmer to balance the thicker wasitline...)

I don't think I was eating excessively while I was exclusively breastfeeding; I put my postpartum weight problem down to a dramatic change in lifestyle. I was a very active person even in pregnancy, whereas once my baby was born I found myself sitting or lying down for vast chunks of the day. Plus I found it painful to walk for 6wks due to episiotomy and prolonged bleeding. So look at how your lifestyle has changed and look at how you could incorporate more exercise into your daily routine, to stimulate the metabolism!

With my next baby I will try to be less sedentary while breastfeeding, and feed the baby in a sling while doing chores, chasing my toddler around, etc.

 

[bekyboo44]

Have been very lucky- my son is now five months old and I weigh a lot less than when I first got pregnant! I put it down to breastfeeding and having two dogs and a baby that love to be outside!

 

[Konradsmom]

its my first pregnancy so I am not talking from experience, but I have a masseur friend who has extensive experience with giving massages to pregnant ladies and helping them manage their weight through the 9 months. her advice to me was to control my carb intake, so rice, bread and potatoes to be taken in moderation only and preferably during the 1st 2 meals of the day only - its like the Atkins diet but with lots of veggies. For chinese moms, soup is fine but it shouldn't be the heavy,ultra nourishing kind. She found that most clients of hers end up gaining about 10 lbs weight and didn't have to extensively visit salons post partum.

 

[mintycat]

With my first, I gained 23 lbs, I lost them all by about 3 months, although my belly was flabby and still big. I BF for 9 months and ate pretty much what I wanted (not always healthy) because I was hungry all the time. However, when I stopped BF, I gained back about 5 lbs because I still ate the same amount but I didn't have BF to burn off the calories and I am not a gym person.

This time I will try my best to hit the gym to lose the weight and only exercise can help me tone my belly.

 

[capital]

I lost all the weight by 6 weeks both pregnancies, but then I gained some back as I was at home and snacked all day long. When I went back to work at one year I didn't snack so much and lost the weight. This time, second baby I lost more weight than before I was pregnant, been at work for 2 months now and I am losing weight, to the point where I really cannot lose anymore or It will be very unhealthy. I attribute it to my very very busy life right now, plus still BF, so I need those colories.

 

[sky123]

I lost all my preganancy weight after about 2-3 months after birth. I was breastfeeding and then back to work (and pumping) and then had a bout of food poisoning. Now I weigh a bit less than before I was pregnant. Don't know if it will come back on after I stop pumping though!

 

[merichan]

I took about 18kg ( 36lbs?? ) while pregnant... lost half of it by the time I got out of the maternity.

For the 9kgs left... they stayed right where they were as long as I was breastfeeding... ( 5 monthes ) and I lost all of them almost without changing anything to my diet when I stopped to breastfeed... by 11 monthes after the birth I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight.

Merichan